IN 1914 a young American soldier wrote a poem entitled Trees which begins with – I think that I will never see A poem lovely as a tree.

It became a popular song.

Joyce Kilmer was shot by a sniper in the Second Battle of Marne in 1918. He was 31.

Mike Godsal (Letters, August 7) does not know if my comments were well or ill informed – I stated no preference for the type of tree to be used to commemorate the Great war but merely asked a question.

I am informed that a Maple was removed from the Church land and its roots ground out – space for a new tree?

Chris Roberts goes to enormous lengths to paint a future picture and rather regally ends with – ‘this is Fairford’s way of remembering . . .’ Really did the FTC ask Fairfordians how they would like to remember?

I watched Dickie Attenborough’s film of Joan Littlewood’s play Oh What a Lovely War the other evening and today ordered from the Tower of London one of the ceramic poppies planted there.

Rather more original than a tree in some hidden field.

KEITH GALLON

Fairford